The One I Love (2005) – David Gray

‘Just occasionally though, a song comes suddenly and out of nowhere, fully formed.’

The music of British singer-songwriter David Gray seems to make a near-annual appearance here, with today’s featured track marking his seventh entry – following Say Hello, Wave Goodbye (1998), which I last featured in August 2024. As that title hints, time has no intention of hitting the brakes. I could’ve sworn it hadn’t been that long since I posted that gem – still my favourite song of his.

The One I Love is a close runner-up, and fittingly, it was one of the very first songs I heard by him. Then again, I hold all of his songs featured here in almost equal affection. I was first introduced to David’s music by a friend during a car trip to Hanging Rock, just outside Melbourne, around 2007.

The One I Love was released on 29 August 2005 as the first single from his seventh studio album, Life in Slow Motion (see image inset). The song is Gray’s second-highest achievement on the UK Singles Chart, peaking at number eight. Worldwide, the song reached number six in Ireland and number 31 in New Zealand. In the United States, it topped the Billboard (Adult Alternative Airplay) chart for six weeks.

There are few other alternative rock balladeers whose voice, melody and lyrics resonate with me as strongly as his does. His voice carries a weathered, rustic charm that finds a perfect counterpart in the warmth of his acoustic arrangements. He’s created overall a unique sound, entirely his own which can’t be confused. It has garnered him a significant following, particularly in the UK and Ireland.

David’s an ol’ smoothie too since he gravitates towards themes of love and emotional depth. Look no farther than The One I Love. “Writing and singing are acts of devout attention” he said in the Arts desk article below. He went on to describe the creative process as ‘A slow and measured ascent with occasional downhill sections, hopefully culminating in a view from the summit!‘ 

He said in this interview about The One I Love:
‘We spent so long mixing it and recording it. I couldn’t actually hear it. It took about 6 months before I could hear the song. When something becomes a single and everyone decides they like it, and this is probably true of me in life, so in the moment somebody wants to be your friend… and it’s not the way it works. ‘I wouldn’t want to be part of any club that would want me as a member’ to use that Woody Allen line. So everyone is saying it’s great and to me I can’t tell anymore‘.

I can.

Gonna close my eyes
Girl and watch you go
Running through this life, darling
Like a field of snow
As the tracer glides
In its graceful arc
Send a little prayer out to ya
‘Cross the falling dark

Tell the repo man
And the stars above
That you’re the one I love
Yeeaah

Perfect summer’s night
Not a wind that breathes
Just the bullets whispering gentle
‘Mongst the new green leaves
There’s things I might have said
Only wish I could
Now I’m leaking life faster
Than I’m leaking blood

Tell the repo man
And the stars above
That you’re the one I love
You’re the one I love
The one I love

Yuuhuu
Yuuhuu

Don’t see Elysium
Don’t see no fiery hell
Just the lights up bright baby
In the bay hotel
Next wave coming in
Like an ocean roar
Won’t you take my hand, darling
On that old dancefloor

We can twist and shout
Do the turtle dove
And you’re the one I love
You’re the one I love
The one I love

Below, I have presented the official video version and the live version at London’s Hammersmith Apollo.

References:
1. The One I Love (David Gray song) – Wikipedia
2. First Person: singer-songwriter David Gray on how the songs on his new album came to him – The arts desk